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How Your Medical Information
Is Used |
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO
THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Jupiter Primary Care will use and distribute this Notice
as their Joint Notice of Privacy Practices and follow the
information practices described in this Notice when using
or disclosing records and information. They will share your
health information, as necessary, to carry out treatment,
payment, or health care operations as described in this
Notice.
Understanding Your Health Information
Each time you visit a hospital, clinic, physician, or other
health care provider, a record of your visit is made. Typically,
this health record contains your medical history, symptoms,
examination and test results, diagnosis, treatment, care
plan, insurance, billing, and employment information. This
health information, often referred to as your health record,
serves as a basis for planning your care and treatment and
is a vital means of communication among the many health
professionals who contribute to your health care. Insurance
companies and other third-party payers to verify the appropriateness
of billed services also use your health information.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to:
o Maintain the privacy of your health information.
o Provide you with an additional current copy of our Notice
upon request.
o Abide by the terms of our current Notice.
We will not use or disclose your health information without
your written authorization, except as described in this
Notice. Such authorization may be revoked in writing at
any time except with respect to any actions we have taken
in reliance on it.
Your Health Information Rights
You have the following rights regarding your health information:
Right to Inspect and Copy. You may request to look at your
medical and billing records and obtain a copy. You must
submit your medical records request in writing. Contact
the office to request a copy of your billing record. If
you ask for a copy of your records, we may charge a fee
for the cost of copying, mailing, or other supplies needed
to respond to your request.
Right to Request Amendment.
You may request that your health information be amended
if you feel that the information is not correct. Your request
must be in writing and provide rationale for the amendment.
We may deny your request, and will notify you of our decision
in writing.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of
your health information showing with whom your health information
has been shared (does not apply to disclosures to you, with
your authorization, for treatment, payment or health care
operations, and in certain other cases). To request an accounting
of disclosures, you must send a written request. Your request
must state a time period that may not be longer than six
years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003.
Right to Request Restrictions.
You may request restrictions on how your health information
is used for treatment, payment or health care operations,
or to certain family members or others who are involved
in your care. We may deny your request. If we agree to a
restriction, the restriction may be lifted if use of the
information is necessary to provide emergency treatment.
To request a restriction, you must send a written request,
specifying what information you wish to restrict and to
whom the restriction applies. You will receive a written
response to your request.
Right to Request Private Communications. You may
request that we communicate with you in a certain way in
a certain location. You must make your request in writing
to the patient registration area and explain how or where
you wish to be contacted.
Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice. You may request an
additional paper copy of this Notice at any time from any
patient registration area.
Changes to this Notice
We reserve the right to change this Notice as our privacy
practices change and to make the new provisions effective
for all health information we maintain. We will post a current
Notice in patient registration areas and on our websites.
For More Information or to Report a Problem
If you have questions or would like additional information,
you may contact us. If you believe your privacy rights have
been violated, you may file a complaint with us, or with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There will be
no retaliation for filing a complaint.
Examples of Using Health Information for Treatment,
Payment and Health Care Operations.
We will use and disclose your health information for treatment
purposes.
For example: Information obtained by a nurse, physician
or other member of your health care team will be recorded
in your record and used to determine the course of treatment.
Health care team members will communicate with one another
personally and through the health record to coordinate care
provided. We will also provide your specialty physicians
or subsequent health care provider with copies of various
reports that should assist him or her in treating you in
the future.
We will use and disclose your health information for payment
purposes.
For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third party
payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include
information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis,
procedures, and supplies used. We may disclose health information
about you to other qualified parties for their payment purposes.
For example, if you require transport by ambulance, we may
disclose your health information to the ambulance provider
for its billing purposes.
We will use and disclose your health information for health
care operations.
For example: Members of the medical staff, the risk or quality
improvement manager, or members of the quality improvement
team may use information in your health record to assess
the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. This
information will then be used in an effort to continually
improve the quality and effectiveness of health care we
provide. In some cases, we will furnish your health information
to other qualified parties for their health care operations.
The ambulance company, for example, may want information
regarding your condition to help them know whether they
have done an effective job of stabilizing your condition.
Teaching: As a teaching site for residents and students
in medicine, nursing, allied health and graduate studies,
may be assisting with your care under the supervision of
a licensed health care provider as a part of their professional
health care training program.
Other Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information
Notification. We may use or disclose health information
to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal
representative, or another person responsible for your care
of your location and general condition.
Communication With Family and Others. We may disclose
relevant health information to a family member, friend,
or other person involved in your care. We will only disclose
this information if you agree, are given the opportunity
to object and do not, or if in our professional judgment,
it would be in your best interest to allow the person to
receive the information or act on your behalf.
Business Associates. There are some services provided
in our organization through contracts with business associates.
When these services are contracted, we may disclose your
health information to our business associates so that they
can perform such services. However, we require the business
associate to appropriately safeguard your information.
Appointment Reminders. We may contact you as a reminder
that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care.
Treatment Alternatives. We may contact you about
treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits
and services that may be of interest to you.
Public Health. We may disclose health information
about you for public health activities.
These activities may include disclosures:
- To a public health authority authorized by law to collect
or receive such information for the purpose of preventing
or controlling disease, injury, or disability;
- To appropriate authorities authorized to receive reports
of abuse and neglect;
- To FDA-regulated entities for purposes of monitoring or
reporting the quality, safety or effectiveness of FDA-regulated
products; or
- To notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease
or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease
or condition.
Workers' Compensation. We may disclose health information
to the extent authorized and necessary to comply with laws
relating to workers' compensation or other similar programs
established by law.
Correctional Institutions. If you are an inmate of
a correctional institution or under custody of a law enforcement
official, we may disclose to the correctional institution,
its agents or the law enforcement official your health information
necessary for your health or the health and safety of other
individuals.
Law Enforcement. We may disclose health information
if asked to do so by a law enforcement official as required
or permitted by law or in response to a subpoena.
Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose health
information for health oversight activities authorized by
law. For example, oversight activities include audits, investigations,
inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary
for the government to monitor the health care system, government
programs and compliance with civil rights laws.
Threats to Health or Safety. Under certain circumstances,
we may use or disclose your health information if we believe
it is necessary to avert or lessen a serious threat to health
and safety and is to a person reasonably able to prevent
or lessen the threat or is necessary for law enforcement
authorities to identify or apprehend an individual involved
in a crime.
Specialized Government Functions. We may disclose
your information for national security and intelligence
activities authorized by law, for protective services of
the president; or if you are a military member, to the military
under limited circumstances.
As Required by Law. We will use or disclose your health
information as required by federal, State or local law.
Lawsuits and Administrative Proceedings. We may release
your health information in response to a court or administrative
order. We may also provide your information in response
to a subpoena or other discovery request, but only if efforts
have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain
an order protecting the information requested.
Funeral Directors, Medical Examiners, and Coroners. We may
disclose your health information to funeral directors, medical
examiners, and coroners consistent with applicable law to
carry out their duties.
Organ Procurement Organizations. Consistent with
applicable law, we may disclose health information to organ
procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the
procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs for the
purpose of tissue donation and transplant.
Incidental Uses and Disclosures. There are certain
incidental uses or disclosures of your health information
that occur while we are providing services to you or conducting
our business. For example, we may need to use your name
to call you from the waiting area. Other individuals waiting
in the same area may hear your name called. We will make
reasonable efforts to limit these incidental uses and disclosures.
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